The Effects of Violent Video Games on Aggressive Behavior in Children and Young Adults

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Society has evolved drastically within the last 50 years due to new and ever developing technology. Video games, which were developed in the late 1980’s early 1990’s, are a product of the new life changing technology. Video games, or to be more specific violent video games have been most popular among children and young adults. Parents do not tend to see the consequences that evolve around violent video games; especially kids who play more then ten hours a weeks worth of these games. Only recently has the videogame technology progressed and became more engaging using life like simulations of violence, igniting aggressive behavior in young adult and may in fact desensitize them to violence. Although, some may believe that violent video games do not contribute to any of these factors; research shows that violent games have a profound effect on aggressive behavior in children and young adults coupled with the factors of parenting style, lifestyle, and stages of brain development.
I am not surprised to find out that the majority of kids now a day are resolving their conflicts through aggression. For instance, I have a 16 year old brother who plays violent video games on a daily bases. Unfortunately he displays a great amount of aggression and anger towards his younger sisters. He is constantly using explicit language, hurting his younger sisters; by as little as throwing books at them, and is always making inappropriate sexual comments around others. When my parents try to resolve these issues and take his video games away, my brother gets very angry and knocks anything or anyone in his way. My parents try to take action but it never works out due to the greater issues my brother can cause. In the article, violent video games cont...

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...in violent movies, books, and violence in their own writings. The report did not find a relationship between playing violent video games and school shootings. Also according to Dr. Christopher Ferguson, department chair of psychology and communications at Texas A&M

International University in Laredo states that, “he has not come across any link between playing violent video games and likelihood for violent behavior and de-sensitivity,” (CBSnews). After these school or public shoots occur Ferguson believes that it is interesting how eager some segments of society are to grab onto this narrative of violence in video games; that in a period of moral panic…. It gives [society] a sense of control over things they cannot control. The public wants these violent games to be the main the cause of aggression and violence among children and young adults, but they are not.

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